Charley Hannagan / The Post-StandardThe McBride Street ramp to I-690 east, near where a burned body was found.

Syracuse, NY – The man discovered at the site of a fire that burned so high and hot underneath the Interstate 81-690 interchange that Syracuse authorities worried that the bridge there was damaged died of burns and smoke inhalation, police said this afternoon.

The man’s body was so badly burned that Syracuse police don’t yet know how old or who he was, Sgt. Tom Connellan said at a press conference in front of the Public Safety Building this afternoon.

An autopsy today by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s office determined that the victim had died of burns and smoke inhalation, he said. They did not find any other injuries, the sergeant said.

Police continue to ask that anyone with information about the man, or the fire, call them at 442-5222.

Police do not believe foul play was involved in the man’s death, Connellan said.

The Syracuse Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire, while police are investigating the man’s death, he said.

Firefighters were called about 11:45 p.m. by several motorists who reported seeing flames coming from the area near the interstate interchange in the heart of Syracuse.

Authorities have listed the scene as being in the 100 block of Catherine Street. It’s located underneath the interchange and appears to be behind the Firestone store at 711 Erie Blvd. East. There is a concrete wall in the back of the store’s parking lot.

“The fire got going pretty good,’ Connellan said. “You could see where the fire had gotten so hot it was actually burning the structure of the bridge.”

Firefighters had to use ladders to reach the fire in what appeared to be a homeless encampment with mattresses, boxes and clothing, he said. Anyone who would have been staying there would have had to climb up and over to get into the area, Connellan said.

Firefighters found the victim among the debris, he said.

Police have spoken to some homeless people in the area, Connellan said. They ask that anyone who may know someone who camped there call police so that they can track down the victim’s identity, he said.

Last night was one of the coldest the area has experienced in some time, he said. “That’s probably why they started the fire. It rained earlier and they may have been trying to dry out.”